Crosslinking of Fc receptors, such as the high affinity receptor for IgE (FcεRI) and/or the high affinity receptor for IgG (FcγRI) activates a signaling cascade in mast, basophil and other immune cells that results in the release of chemical mediators responsible for numerous adverse events. For example, such crosslinking leads to the release of preformed mediators of Type I (immediate) anaphylactic hypersensitivity reactions, such as histamine, from storage sites in granules via degranulation. It also leads to the synthesis and release of other mediators, including leukotrienes, prostaglandins and platelet-activating factors (PAFs), that play important roles in inflammatory reactions. Additional mediators that are synthesized and released upon crosslinking Fc receptors include cytokines and nitric oxide.
The signaling cascade(s) activated by crosslinking Fc receptors such as FcεRI and/or FcγRI comprises an array of cellular proteins. Among the most important intracellular signal propagators are the tyrosine kinases. And, an important tyrosine kinase involved in the signal transduction pathways associated with crosslinking the FcεRI and/or FcγRI receptors, as well as other signal transduction cascades, is Syk kinase (see Valent et al., 2002, Intl. J. Hematol. 75(4):257–362 for review).
As the mediators released as a result of FcεRI and FcγRI receptor cross-linking are responsible for, or play important roles in, the manifestation of numerous adverse events, the availability of compounds capable of inhibiting the signaling cascade(s) responsible for their release would be highly desireable. Moreover, owing to the critical role that Syk kinase plays these and other receptor signaling cascade(s), the availability of compounds capable of inhibiting Syk kinase would also be highly desirable.